Press release 315 / 2016-09-09: German exports in July 2016: –10.0% on July 2015

WIESBADEN – Germany exported goods to the value of 96.4 billion euros and imported goods to the value of 76.9 billion euros in July 2016. Based on provisional data, the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) also reports that German exports decreased by 10.0% and imports by 6.5% in July 2016 year on year. Compared with June 2016, exports were down by a calendar and seasonally adjusted 2.6%, and imports by 0.7%.

The foreign trade balance showed a surplus of 19.5 billion euros in July 2016. In July 2015, the surplus amounted to 24.8 billion euros. In calendar and seasonally adjusted terms, the foreign trade balance recorded a surplus of 19.4 billion euros in July 2016.

According to provisional results of the Deutsche Bundesbank, the current account of the balance of payments showed a surplus of 18.6 billion euros in July 2016, which takes into account the balances of trade in goods including supplementary trade items (+20.9 billion euros), services (–4.0 billion euros), primary income (+5.2 billion euros) and secondary income (–3.4 billion euros). In July 2015, the German current account showed a surplus of 25.4 billion euros.

In July 2016, Germany exported goods to the value of 56.3 billion euros to the Member States of the European Union (EU), while it imported goods to the value of 51.3 billion euros from those countries. Compared with July 2015, exports to the EU countries decreased by 7.0%, and imports from those countries by 4.5%. Goods to the value of 35.5 billion euros (–6.0%) were dispatched to the Euro area countries in July 2016, while the value of the goods received from those countries was 35.4 billion euros (–4.4%). In July 2016, goods to the value of 20.8 billion euros (–8.8%) were exported to EU countries not belonging to the Euro area, while the value of the goods imported from those countries was 15.9 billion euros (–4.8%).

Exports of goods to countries outside the European Union (third countries) amounted to 40.1 billion euros in July 2016, while imports from those countries totalled 25.6 billion euros. Compared with July 2015, exports to third countries decreased by 13.8% and imports from those countries by 10.1%.